Uploaded June 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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This is the first in a series of tutorials in which I take a simple song leadsheet and work it up into a cocktail piano-style solo. In this tutorial we think about key cocktail ideas like rubato, and also look at the structure and chords of the song. In subsequent tutorials we’ll cover decoration, “thickening out” right hand. more sophisticated left hand parts, chord extension and substitution and melodic improvisation.

PDF of “From Scratch” leadsheet: drive.google.com/file/d/1otxgx8jsaWFwxFCyJPjLTrwji1I7OyV6/view?usp=sharing

Series playlist link: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QkH5t7Ye797ohL2SRbDApUu

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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
02:13 The lead sheet
03:15 The song’s structure
04:12 Playthrough, RH and hands together (simple)
06:49 Adding swing
08:30 The three basic elements of cocktail piano style
10:58 Working on the rhythm/tempo
18:00 Thinking about cocktail harmony
18:53 Chord walkthrough
25:27 Adding a simple left hand
27:18 What you need to practise before the next tutorial